[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61794-61795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27358]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Intent To Prepare a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Lake Washington Ship Canal Ecosystem Restoration 
Project, King County, WA

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(Corps), Seattle District, as lead Federal agency, will prepare a 
programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) evaluating 
alternative fish and wildlife habitat and water quality restoration 
approaches for the Lake Washington Basin, King County, Washington. This 
environmental impact statement will be a combined Federal NEPA and 
Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) document. The lead 
agency for SEPA will be the King County Water and Land Resources 
Division. Five restoration approaches will be evaluated in the PEIS: 
(1) No action; (2) Habitat restoration that would benefit multiple 
species; (3) A program that principally benefits fish species listed as 
``threatened'' under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); (4) Restoration 
that focuses on geographic areas; and (5) Restoration that focuses on 
specific life history stages. If approved, implementation of the 
program would begin in 2006. Potential issues of concern for the PEIS 
include impacts to fish and their habitat, water quality, wetlands, 
riparian habitat, flood control, land use, and public safety.

DATES: Submit comments to the address below by December 1, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Mr. Jeffrey F. Dillon, Environmental Resources Section, U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 3755, Seattle, Washington 98124-3755.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the scoping 
process or preparation of the PEIS may be directed to: Jeffrey F. 
Dillon (206) 764-6174.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Proposed Action. The Corps of Engineers and the King County 
Water and Land Resources Division propose to evaluate alternative 
habitat restoration programs for the Lake Washington Basin in King and 
Snohomish Counties, Washington. For preparation of this PEIS, the 
Corps, Seattle District is the lead Federal agency under NEPA (42 USC 
4321 et seq.) and the Council on Environmental Quality implementing 
guidelines (40 CFR 1500-1508). The King County Water and Land Resources 
Division is the lead state agency under the Washington SEPA (Chapter 
43.21C RCW) and the SEPA guidelines (Chapter 197-10 WAC).
    The Corps is authorized to implement habitat restoration programs 
under Section 209 of Public Law 87-874 (Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters 
Study) of the 1962 Flood Control Act, the Water Resources Development 
Act of 1990, and Corps ecosystem restoration guidance (Engineering 
Circular [EC] 1105-2-210). Corps of Engineers activities in ecosystem 
restoration will concentrate on bio-engineering solutions to water and 
related land resource problems.
    The proposed action would restore aquatic ecosystem habitat and 
processes by reconnecting isolated habitat elements, increasing channel 
diversity, establishing areas of estuarine habitat, increasing 
floodplain habitat and connectivity, restoring small tributaries, 
increasing the amount of large woody debris in the river, replenishing 
river sediments, and improving the water temperature regime. If the 
proposed action were approved, initial construction would begin in 
2006.

[[Page 61795]]

    2. Restoration Approaches: Three programmatic restoration 
approaches will be considered and evaluated in the environmental impact 
statement. The first approach is the No Action alternative and would 
include various agencies and groups continuing to implement small-scale 
restoration projects but within a less coordianted framework than under 
the other proposed alternatives. Continued implementation of 
restoration projects might include reconnecting isolated habitat 
elements, localized bank revegetation, and some placement of large 
woody debris. The second approach is an ecosystem processes approach to 
habitat restoration within a comprehensive framework. Under this 
approach, benefits to many fish and wildlife species will be targeted. 
The third approach is restoration of ESA-listed fish species. Recently, 
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and bull trout (Savelinus 
confluentus) have been listed under ESA. This approach would evaluate 
restoration actions that would focus benefits on these species.
    3. Scoping and Public Involvement: Public involvement will be 
sought during scoping and throughout the study in accordance with NEPA 
and SEPA procedures. Public meetings will be held during public review 
of the draft PEIS. A public scoping process will be initiated to 
clarify issues of major concern, identify studies that might be needed 
to analyze and evaluate impacts, and obtain public input on the range 
and acceptability of approaches and further definition of alternatives. 
This notice of intent formally commences the joint scoping process 
under NEPA and SEPA. As part of the scoping process, all affected 
Federal, state, and local agencies, Native American tribes, and other 
interested private organizations, including environmental interest 
groups, are invited to comment on the scope of hte PEIS. Comments are 
requested concerning project alternatives, mitigation measures, 
probable significant environmental impacts, and permits or other 
approvals that may be required. To date, the following impact areas 
have been identified and will be analyzed in depth in the PEIS: (1) 
Fish and their habitat, (2) water quality, (3) wetlands, (4) riparian 
habitat, (5) wildlife, (6) land use, and (7) public safety. The 
environmental review process will be comprehensive and will integrate 
and satisfy the requirements of NEPA (Federal) and SEPA (Washington 
State), and other relevant Federal, state, and local environmental 
laws. Written comments may will be accepted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register (see DATES).
    4. Other Environmental Review, Coordination, and Permit 
Requirements: Other environmental review, coordination, and permit 
requirements include preparation of a section 404(b)(1) evaluation by 
the Corps and consultation among the Corps, State of Washington, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration both per section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. 
Coordination will also be initiated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service to meet the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act.
    5. Availability of the Draft PEIS: The draft PEIS is scheduled for 
release during the spring of 2004 and the Final PEIS is scheduled for 
release during the fall of 2004.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-27358 Filed 10-29-03; 8:45 am]
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